Electric toaster



2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed oct. 5, 19:58

ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 24, 1939. f J, J, GOUGH 2,177,177

y 'ELEGTRIG ToAsTER v Filed'Oct. 3, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v f0\ y 6/ 00 y ATTORNEMT.

eea1ed fromview and protected against the aeprevent outward movement of each side section i@ 15 expensively formed and readily assembled at a wardiy turned lues 32. forming pivot mountinss is PatentedOet. 24,193@ l- 2,177,177...

outraJ .sr'rss vPii'iizli'r orme Y amid?? y no'rnrc Toasi'nn.

.lames E. Gough, Chicago, Iii.. assilnor to Chicago Electric Manufacturing Company, Ghicago. mi., a corporation of? Illinois i Appiication Octobei! 3, 193g, Serial No. $323@ il@ @in (GE. 53-5) This invention relates to an electric toaster or flanges 22. The central portion I8 i.. provided 'and more particularly to the construction oi the adjacent its upper end with the slot 2d, the strip constituent parts oi the toaster` frame and the 23 defining the upper edge ot the slot being omet mounting of the bread receiving doors or trays in the plane of the edges oi the wings 2d joined 5 on the frame. by this strip so as to form a lug receiving pocket g an object of the invention is to provide a for attaching the too to the side. slmpliled mountingior the bread receiving door Spaced lugs 2a. extending upwardly from the or tray and its automatic closing means or spring upper edge of each side section, are also onset whereby the closing means or spring will be coninwardly Vso as to be received within the top to cumuiation thereon ci crumbs from the bread berelative to the top. The plane SlnneeS 0i' flanges ing toasted. v 22 are provided at their lower edges with depend- Another object of the invention is to provide a ins lugs 30 tork attaching the Side Section to the toaster oi which the constituent parte may be intray e. and are also provided with struck out inminlmum oi expense. for the bread receiving doors or trays e. The side A further object of the invention is'to provide sections i4 and I8 are each also provided with an electric toaster of the low mounted type in inwardly bent strips or danses it, forming side which the toaster supporting tray is o! simpliiled .innibS against which the doors Oi trays abut construction, capable of inexpensive manufacture when in closed pOSitiOn. 2@ enclin which the supporting members or legs for The t0n Section i2 0f the frame 2 comprises e the tray may be produced by a simple stamping sheet metal stamping providins a convex coveroperation and readily, though securely, locked ing Portion 36 and end portions 38, having dethe tray. pending lugs l0 for reception within the lug re- Other and further objects and advantages will ceiving prockets formed in the Central POitiOn i3 2g be apparent from the following specification. 0i each side section M and I6. The lugs 40 are, whenin connection with the accompanying draw- PiOVided With inwardly Struck ribS Oi ridges 32 ings, wherein: adapted to be sprung under the strips y26 and to Fig. l is a view ln-perspectlve of an electric engage the lower edge 0f these Strips, So as to toaster embodying the invention; lockthe top section against upward movement on 3@ Fig. 2 ls an exploded 'view showing in perspecthe side sections. The end portions 38 are protive the constituent parts of the toaster of Fig. 1; vided with additional depending lugs 44, `offset Fig. ,3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken Slightly inwardly S0 aS t0 engage the inner sursubstantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. l; l .face of'the side sections I4 and I6 for further 35 Figui is a vertical section taken substantially Support, and to prevent Webbling 0f the t0n vSee-v 35 along the line I-l of Fig. 1; tion relative to the side sections.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken along the line The bread receiving doorS 0r trays 4 Preferably 5 5 of Fig. d; comprise a sheet metal stamping providing a tray Fig. 6 is an enlarged, horizontal section taken Portion l5, having En intlii'ned flange 43 extend- 40 along the line 8 6 of Fig. 4; and ing peripherally about three sides of the tray. Fig. '1 is a fragmentary vertical section showing Lugs 50. bent outwardly frOm the flange 38 at the a portion of Fig. 5, but with the bread receiving sides of the door, receivehandles 52, riveted or door or trayin an open position. otherwise secured to said lugs. At the bottom As shown in the drawings for purposes of ilof each door the tray portion is bent reversely, lustration, atoaster embodying the invention may BS at 54 (F135. 5 and 7) and then Outwel'dly' t0 comprise a frame 2, bread receiving doorsor trays -PlOvide a bread Supporting shell 56. The bread l, a frame supporting tray lfi'eet or supporting SUDPOI'tinS Shelf 53 iS turned dwnwaldly at' its members l for supporting the tray I, and an outer free edge, as at 58, and is provided with electric heating unit lli. spaced slots 80 to receive the guard wires 82` (Figs.

5o 'I'he frame 2 comprises a top section I2 and side 4 and 6) when the doors are in closed position so sections Il and I8. The side sections Il and I! thotwhen in this Position the bread Will be Proneach preferably comprise a sheet metal stamping erly placed against the guard wires at the proper i having a. central, shallow, channel-like portion Il toasting distance from the heating element lll. projecting outwardly from oppositely extending Each door or tray 4 is additionally provided at 55 curved wings 20, merging into the plane surfaces its lower edge with opposed, inwardly extending 55 lugs or flanges 04, having openings l to receive the pivot lugs 32 formed on the side sections I4 and I0. It should be noted that -the openings 00 in the flanges 64 are positioned below the bread supporting shelf .56 so that the pivot lugs `22 lie beneath and are covered by this shelf.

The automatic closing means for each bread receiving door or tray 4 comprises a coil spring 68 which is mounted on one of the pivot lugs 32 for the door. One end of the spring 00 passes-through an opening in the bread supporting shelf 56 and is bent over into engagement with the upper surface of this shelf so as to secure the spring to the door or tray. The' other end of the spring is anchored to the base or tray 6.

The frame supporting tray l preferably comprises a sheet metal stamping providing an upper plane supporting surface or plate 12 and a peripherally extending ange 14. The plate 12 is provided with a plurality of spaced openings 10 to receive the guard wires 62, a plurality of slots 18 to receive the attaching lugs 20 formed on the side sections I4 and I8, a pair of slots 80 for receiving the attaching lugs of the heating vunit I0, a plurality of slots 02 for receiving the attaching lugs of the terminal support or housing v 84, and a pair of struck out, upwardly turned lugs 86 for anchoring the ends of the door closing springs to the base I.

The 'peripheral flange 14 of the base l -is cut away or slotted at each corner of the base, as

at 08, to receive the feet or supporting members 0. Each foot or supporting member 0 comprises y a clip 00 curved in; an arc of 90 degrees, `and at .its free edges odset inwardly above and below the portion 02, as at 94, to engage the inner surface of the flange 14 adjacent the edges of the corner opening 80. The portion 02 is therefore of shallow, channel shape in cross-section, and is received within slots 96 formed at the opposite edges of the opening by struck out and inwardly bent lugs '0.0. The lugs 08 are bent over into clamping engagement with the inner surface of the shallow channel-shaped portions 02 of each clip 00. The clip 90 is additionally provided at its lower edge with an inwardly extending lug i member I I0. and a lower strap I I2. The T-shaped member- ||0 is provided with spaced openings to receive the upper ends Vof the guard'wires l2, which also support Vthe heating unit on the base, and the lower supporting strap II2 is provided with spaced, depending lugs ||4 which are received within the slots 00 of the base l and are bent over into clamping engagement with the under surface of the plate 12. The guard and supporting wires 02 are, in the customary manner. twister to provide slightly enlarged portions beneath the T-shaped member III and above the plate 12 vso as to support the heating unit III.

n The terminal housing 04 preferably comprises a metal plate bent to form a substantially U- 7shaped cover IIS and an end flange III upon which the terminals |20 are insulatingly supported. The coverl III and the flange III are provided with depending lugs |22 which are adapted to received wams the non n of um we A plate 12, and bent over into clamping engagement with the under surface of said plate.

4 The parts of the toaster above described may.

Aduring manufacture, be readily assembled substantially as follows: The heating unit I0 is first -I0 of the frame 2 are then assembled on the base 0' by insertion of the lugs I0 in the slots 10 i`n the base plate 12. and then bending over these lugs into clamping engagement with the plate.

'Ihe top section I2 is then placed upon the side sections i4 and i0 by passing the depending lugs 40 through the slots 24 of the side sections and forcing the ribs or ridges 42 of these lugs into engagement with the lower edge of the strips 20 of the side sections. The doors or bread receiving trays'4 are then mounted on the side sections I4 and Il, the said sections having sufficient flexibility to permit the pivot lugs 22 to be moved out of position sufficiently to be inserted into the pivot openings 88 in the lugs 04 of the two doors.

With the doors in open position the springs 0l are placed in position on the pivot lugs 32 beneath the bread supporting shelves 50 and the shorter of the free ends of the springs are inserted through the openings I0 in the shelves. I'he other ends of the springs are then inserted beneath the outwardly projecting lugs 06 of the vbase plate 12, and the lugs then bent over to anchor the springs to the base 6.

The terminal' supporting housing 04 is attached to the base Sprior to the assembly of the .frame 2, and is at that time electrically connected to the heating wire or element |00 of the heating unit. This housing is received within and passes through an opening '|24 extending outwardly from the bottom edge of the side section I6 of the frame 2.

The handles |02 and feet 0 may be assembled on the base either beforeor after assembly of the frame, as desired, and in a manner apparent from the foregoing description. Preferably, the door handles 52 are riveted or otherwise secured to the doors prior to their assembly with the frame 2.

If desired, the frame 2 with doors 4 may be assenbled prior to its assembly on the base or tray It will be apparent from the foregoing description that applicant has provided an electric toaster in which the closing means or spring is cncealed from view and protected against accumu- I 'Ihe invention is vhereby claimed as follows:

1. In an electric toaster, a frame, an article receiving tray shiftable from -an'open to a closedposition relative to the frame, and automatic tray closing means, said tray having an article supportingv shelf extending laterally from the supporting surface of the tray and `over said closing means -to prevent clogging of the closing means by fragments from the yarticlev being toasted. i. f

2. In an electric toaster, a frame, pivot means extending from vthe frame. an article receiving`v tray mounted on said pivot for movement be'- tween an open and a closed position relative t the frame, spring means mounted on the pivot for automatically moving the tray to closed posi-l tion'relative to the frame, said tray having an article supporting shelf extending laterally from the surface of the tray over said spring means to form a protective cover for said spring means.

3. In-an electric toaster, a, frame comprising sheet metal top and side sections, said top section having `portionsdepending from its oppo-l site ends, said side sections having slots adjacent their upper edges, which slots are defined by offset portions forming with the slots pockets for receiving the depending end portions of the top sections.

4. In an electric toastena frame comprising sheet metal top and side sections, said top section having portions depending from its opposite ends, said side' sections having slots adjacent their upper edges, which slots are dened by offset portions forming with the slots pockets for receiving the depending end portions of the top sections, and said depending end portions of the top section having each alaterally oiIset portion to engage an edge of the slot in the cornpanion -side section to lock the top section to said side section.

5. In an electric toaster, a frame comprising sheet metal top and side sections, said top secti'on having portions depending from its opposite ends, said side sections having slots adjacent their upper edges, which slots are defined by oil?- set portions forming with Athe slots pockets for vrec'eivingthe depending end portions of the top sections, said depending end portions of the top section having each a laterally oiset portion to engage an edge of the slot in the companion side section to lock the top section to saidside sec- "tion, said top section further having inwardly oiset depending portions andsaid side sections having inwardly oiset, upwardly extending portions adapted to engage the inner surfaces of said side and top sections respectively to prevent lateral shifting of said top and side sections.

6. In an electric toaster, a frame, pivot means extending from the lframe, an article receiving tray mounted'on said pivot for movement vbetween an open and a closed position relative to the frame, spring means mounted on the pivot for automatically moving the tray to closed position relative to the frame, said tray having an article supporting' shelf extending laterally from the surface of the tray over said spring means to form a protective cover for said spring means, a supporting base and means anchoring said spring means to the bread receiving tray and to the base.

to the ilange.

1. In a device of the character described, a supporting base plate having a depending peripheral flange, a plurality of supporting members for said base, said flange being cut away at the corners of the base to receive said supporting members, said supporting members each comprising an angle piece for slidable insertion in the complementary corner opening and having means for automatically locking it to the flange of thebase.

. 8..In a device of the character described, a

supporting base plate having a depending pev ripheral flange, a. plurality of supporting members for said base, said flange being cut away at the corners of the base to receive said supporting members, said supporting members each comprising an angle piece for slidable insertion in the complementary corner opening and cooperatingr means on the flange and each angle piece for interlocking the supporting members to the base.

9. In an electric toaster, a frame, a bread re ceiving tray mounted on the frame andshiftable from an open to a closed position relative thereto, a supporting base plate to which the frame is secured, said base plate having a depending peripheral flange, a plurality of supporting members for the base, said peripheral flange being cut away at the corners of the base plate to receive saidsupporting members, said supporting members each comprising a sheet metal clip for slidable insertion in -the complementary corner opening, portions of the flange at each corner opening having recesses extending in from the opposed walls of said opening, said clips each having at its side edges relatively offset portions engaging the inner surface of the flange at the complementary corner .opening and being received in the recesses in the opposed walls of said opening to interlock the clip to the peripheral flange. l

10. In an electric toaster, a frame, a bread receiving tray mounted on the frame and shiftablefrom an open tov a closed position relative thereto, a supporting base plate to which the frame is secured, said base plate having a de- -pending peripheral ilange, a plurality of supporting members for the base. said peripheral flange being cut away at the corners of the base plate to receive said supporting members, said supporting members each comprising a sheet meta-l clip for slidable insertion in the complementary c'orner opening, portions of the flange at each corner opening being struck out to provide eral flange, said projections engaging the inner surface of the clip further to interlock the clip JAMES J. GOUGH. 

